Can holder



25 1942. J. o. THOR'SHEIM 2 2 4,006

CAN HOLDER Filed Sept. 12, 1940 Jo seph O. Thorsheim i0 :33 of Shaw Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN HOLDER Joseph 0. Thorsheim, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application September 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,434

9 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in holders for cans particularly, though not exclusive- 15!, of the shaker type in which spices, condiments and the like are commonly packed for household use.

An object of the invention is to provide a durable and sightly can holder of exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction which will readily receive and securely retain a number of cans and readily admit of the individual removal of such cans, as occasion may require, without affecting the security of the remaining cans in their various dispositions within said holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can holder of the instant nature of unitary construction adapted to be mounted conveniently on a wall, door or other suitable support.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide a holder of the present character in which two members are provided for the reception of a can inserted therebetween, one of said members including cam-actuated means for releasably latching the can in place in said holder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder in which two relatively spaced can-engaging members are provided for the reception of a number of cans inserted therebetween and in which said cans may be readily placed and. removed, individually, a feature of the invention residing in the construction of one of said members to include a series of fingers, numbers of contiguous fingers making up different groups, one group for any given can, the fingers of the different groups of the one member being biased for movement toward and adapted to hold a can releasably latched in place relative to the other member.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/ or described.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a can holder embodying my invention, an intermediate portion thereof being broken away; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the holder illustrated in Fig. 1, a can partly broken away and having a recessed top or end closure bein shown in place within said holder, and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a can without an upper end closure.

Reference being had to the drawing, it will be seen that the illustrated embodiment of my invention includes a lower bracket member or shelf I 0, an upper bracket member II and a back or body panel I2 from which said bracket members I8, project. The holder is preferably of unitary construction struck out in one piece from relatively resilient sheet metal stock. As shown, the bracket members I0, I I are turned out from the back or body panel I2, the member I0 constituting a narrow shelf or ledge which is somewhat fiexible from the front thereof to and including the right angle bend I3 where it joins the back or body panel I2. The upper bracket member II includes a cap portion I4 which is also somewhat flexible from its free forward edge to and including the right angle bend I5 where it joins said back or body panel I2. Also included in said upper bracket member II is a portion I6 turned back beneath said cap portion I4, said portion Iii being formed with transverse slots I'I providing a plurality of fingers I8 along the entire length of the holder which, preferably, is long enough to accommodate a plurality of ordinary spice or condiment cans arranged side by side with finger-receiving spaces therebetween. Said fingers I8 project rearwardly and downwardly from the free edge of said cap portion I4. The inclined lower faces of these fingers I8 form cams I9 which coact with the upper edges of cans inserted between the two bracket members I0, II, and cause the fingers I8 to be flexed upwardly and ride upon such advancing edges. The fingers I8 function as catches or pawls and automatically latch themselves at their free ends in front of the rear upright portions of cans upon their placement between said bracket members I0, I I.

The ordinary spice or condiment can, such as the can 28 shown in Fig. 2, is formed at the top with a recessed end closure consisting of an inset wall, as at 2|, having an edge flange, as at 22, crimped over an edge of the body of the can, such closure wall 2| having perforations therein, as at 23, from which the contents of the can may be shaken. The transverse dimension of the can 20, as shown in said Fig. 2, is the broader of such dimensions.

For holding an ordinary spice or condiment can having a recessed top closure, the fingers I8 may terminate without bends of any kind and simply present their blunt ends as abutments to the inner face of the top closure flange at the rear wall of the can, said fingers, in such case, bearing yieldingly downward upon themset end wall of said top closure which acts to limit the resiliently effected depression of said fingers.

To adapt my improved holder to cans without top closures, such as that shown at 26 in Fig. 2, as well as to cans with top closures, such as that shown at in Fig. 2, the invention involves certain bends at the terminal portions of the resilient fingers It. All of said fingers are similarly bent, each thereof being turned on three spaced transverse lines forming bends 24, and. 26 which result in a downwardly opening hook-like catch c comprisin a reach 21 extending upwardly from the finger proper, a second reach 28 extending rearwardly from said first reach and a third reach 29 extending downwardly from said second reach 23. Said first reach 2! provides an upwardly extending latching abutment which is engaged by the inner marginal surface of the rear wall at the top of a can. The second reach 28 provides a down-stop which engages the upper edge of the rear wall of the can and, in the absence of a top closure in the can, limits the downward swing of the finger. The third reach 29 provides a back-stop which is engaged by the outer marginal surface of the rear wall at the top of the can. This back-stop limits the movement of insertion of the can into the holder, thus keeping the upper edge of the can at the back thereof within the reach of and engaged by said down-stop 28. In the absence of the reach 29 which forms the back-stop of the hook-like catch 0, the can might be pushed back so far in the holder that the reach 28, forming the down-stop, would become disengaged from the upper edge of the can and the resilient finger !8, thus freed to bias, would lose its yielding grip upon the can and swing down into the interior thereof with the result that the hold upon the can would be insecure and the removal of the can from the holder would be impeded by the then abnormally depressed finger l8.

My holder is conveniently mounted upon any suitable upright support, as at 30, by means of nails or screws 3| driven into such support after being first inserted through openings 32 formed in the back panel 12 for the reception of such fastening meant.

The catch fingers l8 are relatively narrow, the over-all width of a group thereof being less than the narrow dimension of the top of an ordinary spice can, whereby such group of catch fingers will engage such a can, placed edgewise in the holder, and hold the can so disposed against dislodgement from the holder. The width of the lower bracket or shelf l0 of my holder is preferably less than one-half of the long dimension of the bottom of an ordinary spice can to facilitate the application of such cans to and the removal thereof from my holder according to the following indicated procedure found to be most advantageous in practice.

My holder may be constructed in any desired length to accommodate one or any number of cans desired. Regardless of number, the can or cans preferably will be inserted into and removed edgewise from the holder. Obviously, a can may be placed in the holder at any desired locality therein and any desired space may be left between adjacent cans. Such spacing may permit the insertion of the users finger tips between any given can and the cans next adjacent thereto. Upon applying a can to my holder, the can may be grasped at its sides and passed edgewise into latched position within the holder. This procedure first involves the canting of the can to bring the bottom thereof against the free edge of the lower bracket I0 and then involves the straightening of the can into an erect position and the subsequent pushing of the same into the holder as far as it will go. With the bottom of the can tilting on the free edge of the lower bracket It, and thereafter slidin along the upper face of said bracket, the leading upper edge of the can engages the cam surface IQ of a group of the catch fingers l8 and causes said fingers to be sprung upward as said edge of the can rides beneath them. In the illustrated form of my invention, the extent to which a can maybe inserted into the holder is determined by the backstops 29 of the particular catch fingers l8 engaging the top of the can, said back-stops 29 operating to engage the leading face of back-wall of the can and thus arrest the movement of the can into the holder. When a can with a top closure (Fig. 2) is thus arrested upon its insertion into the device, the latching-abutments 21 of a group of the engaged catch fingers l8 will have become lodged in front of the closure fiange 22 at the back of the can, such catch-fingers, in such case, bearing upon the closure wall 2|. In some instances, a catch-finger I 8 may engage the flange 22 of the top closure at one side of the can and, too, another catch-finger may engage said edge flange at the other side of the can. In such event, such finger or fingers will merely press down upon the can and. contribute to the clamping thereof against the shelf-bracket I0 without presenting the latching abutment 2'! of either of said fingers in latching position relative to the closure flange 22 at the back of the can. Fingers 18 adjacent to the can, but not engaged thereby and thus not upwardly sprung, will lie along the sides of the can and provide lateral stops therefor. a

When a can without a top closure (Fig. 3) is arrested by the back-stops 29 of a group of the catch fingers l8, upon the insertion of such can into my holder, the latching abutments 2'! of said fingers will take position in front of the upper margin of the back wall of the can and the down-stops 28 of said fingers I8 will bear upon the upper edge of said back Wall. And again the catch finger or fingers I8 at the one or both extremities of the group engaging said can may simply ride the upper edge or edges of one or both of the side walls of the can without latchingly engaging the can.

In removing a can from my holder, the can is grasped at its sides and canted to slide the lower rear corner of the can forwardly along the upper face of the lower bracket H], such canting of the can being progressed until the bottom thereof is free from said bracket l0. After tilting the can into position clear of the bottom bracket ll], the can is lowered slightly and thus disengaged from the catch fingers I 8.

In addition to the resiliency of the fingers IS. the resiliency of the brackets II], II' and of the holder structure at the bends I3, I5 come into play upon the application to and the removal of a can from the holder, such distribution of resiliency being advantageous not only from the standpoint of facility in use, but also from the standpoint of reliability during long usage.

The required manipulation of a can upon its application to and removal from the instant holder is exceedingly simple and susceptible of being accomplished with substantially the same readiness and ease required in merely placing a can on an ordinary shelf and removing the same therefrom. Cans placed within my improved device are securely held in whatever dispositions they may occupy and are thus secure against dislodgement upon the removal of any particular can or upon movement of the entire holder, as would be, the case were the holder to be mounted on a door to occupy position between shelves of a cabinet upon the closing of the door.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. A can holder comprising a body member, a lower bracket member extending outwardly from the body member and forming a rest for a can, and an upper catch member also extending outwardly from said body member for engagement with the upper end of a can resting on said bracket member, said catch member including a cap portion and a plurality of inwardly projecting fingers underlying said cap portion, said fingers being biased for movement toward the bracket member and each thereof having a downwardly opening hook-like catch at its free end adapted to engage and releasably latch a can in place on said bracket member, each of said fingers having a cam for engagement with a can to flex the finger away from the bracket member upon the placement of the can on said bracket member.

2. A can holder comprising a body member, a lower bracket member extending outwardly from the body member and forming a rest for a can, and an upper catch member also extending outwardly from said body member for engagement with the upper end of a can resting on said bracket member, said catch member including a cap portion and a plurality of inwardly projecting fingers underlying said cap portion, said fingers being biased for movement downwardly from said cap portion toward the bracket member and adapted to engage the can at the inner portion thereof and releasably latch the same in place on said bracket member, each of said fingers having a cam for engagement with a can to flex the finger away from the bracket member and toward said cap portion of said catch member upon the placement of the can on said bracket member.

3. A can holder including a body member, a rest for a, can projecting outwardly from said body member, a finger above the rest extending inwardly and biased for movement toward said rest, mounting means for said finger supported by said body member, said finger having a downwardly opening hook-like catch at the free end thereof adapted to engage a can placed on the rest and to hold such can positioned on said rest.

4. A can holder comprising a body member, a bracket member extending outwardly from the body member for engagement with one end of a can and a catch member also extending outwardly from said body member for engagement with the other end of the can, one of said members including an inwardly projecting catch finger, said finger being biased for movement away from its associated member and toward the other member and adapted releasably to latch the can in place between said members, said finger having a cam for engagement with the can to force the finger toward its associated member and away from the other member upon the insertion of the can between said members.

5. In combination with a support, a can holder comprising a bracket member for engagement with one end of a can and a catch member for engagement with the other end of the can, both members being carried by said support, one of said members including a number of can-engaging fingers, said fingers being spring-biased for movement away from the associated member and toward the other member, non-adjacent fingers forming lateral stops at opposite sides of the can and intervening fingers engaging the can and latching it in place between said members, each of said fingers having a cam, the cams of the fingers within the lateral confines of a can in the act of being inserted between said members being adapted to be engaged by the can and to cause said fingers to be forced individually toward its associated member.

6. In a can holder, two relatively spaced canengaging members, one thereof being biased for movement toward the other to effect the cooperation of said members with a can inserted therebetween, said movable member including a plurality of catch fingers, non-adjacent fingers forming lateral stops at opposite sides of the can and an intervening finger engaging the can and latching it in place between said members.

7. In combination with an upright support, a holder carried by said support and including a rest for a can extending outwardly from the support, a number of fingers above said rest extending inwardly toward the support and biased for movement toward said rest, mounting means for the fingers, said fingers, substantially overreaching the top of a can in place on said rest and being adapted to engage the inner portion of the can and releasably hold it thus placed.

8. In a can holder, two outwardly extending can-engaging members, spaced apart to receive a can inserted inwardly therebetween, one of said members including an inwardly extending catch substantially overreaching the can and cooperating with the inner portion thereof releasably to latch the can in its place in said holder, said catch having cam means and adapted to be actuated through said means by the can upon its insertion between said members.

9. In a holder for a can having an edge flange about one end thereof, a pair of brackets to receive the can in endwise disposition therebetween, the bracket adapted to face the end of the can with said flange including a plurality of fingers biased for movement toward the other bracket, said fingers .being adapted to be swung back by the can upon its placement between said brackets, at least one of said fingers being adapted at the end portion thereof to engage said flange from within and releasably hold the can in place between said brackets.

JOSEPH O. THORSI-IEIM. 

